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 Marta Suplicy, a Brazilian sexologist and former mayor of São Paulo, turned recently Tourism minister of the Lula administration, was in damage control mode this afternoon after a morning press conference on Brazil's airport crisis in which she told Brazilians to "relax and come."
When a reporter asked her what she would say to passengers who feel harmed by constant delays in the airports, she answered: "Relax and come and then you'll forget about all the miseries. Ah, people, this is the same as childbirth pain. Afterwards you don't even remember."
The minister used the verb "gozar," which means "to enjoy," but is mostly used as synonymous with "to have an orgasm," in Brazil.
In a statement released by her press office, Suplicy says that she had no intention of disdaining and much less minimizing the hardship that air passengers are having to deal with. Her intention, she explained was to tell journalists and the population in general that traveling is worthwhile, even though airport trouble may mean a bigger delay.
Some readers commenting in Brazilian websites on the minister's declaration seemed outraged others were just amused: "Let's not get offended with these comments," wrote someone called Matheus. "The comment was in a positive and joking tone. After all, the minister is a sexologist and used the field she knows best to answer the question. The expression she used is just another version of the popular "if you can't solve it, it's already solved."
But someone who signed as Paulo is not excusing or forgiving Suplicy: "How vulgar can Miss Marta be. Airport is no nightclub or whorehouse. If it is they should install a round bed in the halls, something many people would love.
Ubirajara Araújo Filho wrote: "As Tourism Minister Mrs. Marta Suplicy demonstrates that she is still an excellent sexologist. Will Brazil one day have the right specialists on the right places?
Before Suplicy released her apology note, Brazil's Defense Minister, Waldir Pires, had lamented her words: "Of course, it's a shame. We have to respect the population and we have to improve the communication at the airports," said Pires.
He stressed, however, that he didn't seen any "negative tone" in the phrase used by her. And added: "The minister is an intelligent woman, with communication skills. I believe that I wouldn't make any interpretation on the negative side."
Tourism
The minister's polemic statement happened at the launching in Brasília of the program National Tourism Plan 2007-20010 - An Inclusion Trip, which foresees incentives and heavy investments in 65 municipalities that are being promised international level tourism facilities.
The new tourism plan is linked to the Lula's administration Growth Acceleration Plan (PAC) and intends to focus on social inclusion, giving priority to the domestic market, stimulating the creation of jobs and reducing regional inequalities. The Ministry's expectation is that by 2010 the tourism sector will be able to generate 1.7 million new jobs and bring US$ 7.7 billion into the country.
The government is allocating US$ 507 million to promote tourism in Brazil and overseas and another US$ 2.9 billion for tourism infrastructure. These values do not include other investments planned by the Prodetur and Proecotur, which are regional programs for tourism development that rely on financing from the Inter-American Development Bank (BID).
It's also expected that private investment will amount to US$ 3.5 billion for new lodging alone and another US$ 6.47 billion for several other improvements.
The Consigned Credit Program to be launched after July will encourage retired people to travel. Senior will be able to pay tourist expenses in several installments with interests around 1%.
Marta Suplicy's apology statement:
"I want to apologize to the tourists and to all Brazilians for the unfortunate sentence that I said today, at the end of a press conference. I didn't intend to disdain, much less minimize the distress that is being felt by the air transportation users. I myself have to endure this situation when I travel. My intention was to tell journalists and the population that traveling is worthwhile, even if the trouble at the airports take a little longer, despite all the Federal government's determination to rapidly find a solution. At the Tourism Ministry we are working to strengthen the domestic tourism and to better receive the foreign tourist."
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